'Govt will not pass laws to ban encryption' – Baroness Shields

PM didn't mean it when he repeatedly said he'd ban encryption

The government has "no intention" of introducing legislation to weaken encryption, minister for internet safety and security Baroness Shields told the House of Lords in the wake of the TalkTalk cyber attack debacle.

The debate was brought by Liberal Democrat Lord Strasburger, who claimed Cameron "does not seem to get" the need for strong encryption standards online, with no back door access.

Strasburger said: "[Cameron] three times said that he intends to ban any communication 'we cannot read', which can only mean weakening encryption. Will the Minister [Shields] bring the Prime Minister up to speed with the realities of the digital world?"

However, Shields, former digital advisor to Cameron and chair of Tech City UK, denied Cameron intended to introduce laws to weaken encryption.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones asked if she could "absolutely confirm that there is no intention in forthcoming legislation either to weaken encryption or provide back doors."

Shields replied: "I can confirm that there is no intention to do that; that is correct."

She said: "The Prime Minister did not advocate banning encryption; he expressed concern that many companies are building end-to-end encrypted applications and services and not retaining the keys.

She added that companies that provide end-to-end encrypted applications, such as Whatsapp, which is apparently used by the terror group calling itself Islamic State, must be subject to decryption and that information handed over to law enforcement "in extremis".

Earlier this year prime minister David Cameron pledged to ban or "back-door" encrypted communications in the UK if the Conservatives win the next election.

"The question remains, are we going to allow a means of communication where it simply isn't possible to [intercept]?" Cameron continued. "And my answer to that is: no, we must not. The first duty of any government is to keep our country and our people safe."

On Monday the UK's digital minister Ed Vaizey floated the idea of adding kitemarks to websites that have strong security measures in place, following the attack on TalkTalk's business last week. ®